Alice Madness Returns Revisited: You Are Not Alone
by Darkestnights77
Summary: Alice is lost in Wonderland after her encounter with Dr. Bumby the Dollmaker. Finally after two weeks of endless searching, Alice finds her way home. But is London where she truly belongs as a normal member of society, or back in Wonderland where things to her made sense? And is she the only one mad here? Or will she be joined by another soon?
1. Chapter 1: New Beginnings

**First of all I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to read my first fanfic. I hope you all like it and leave behind some constructive criticism and friendly reviews. Please abstain from leaving rude comments, this is of course my first entry and if I get enough recognition, I'll be sure to post more in the future. Enjoy! **

In the beginning, there was nothing but blind madness and spiraling darkness. When the fire took away all that I loved, all that I knew, my true inner warrior was born, and my life became an endless battle with my own psyche, and the people that set my life to ruin. In the beginning, I felt no compassion, no mercy for the likes of scum that squandered this filthy hell pit named London. The lowly perverted fishermen tending the fly infested shops, the depressed fiddlers fruitlessly sawing their bows against their battered violins in the hopes of receiving some amount of money, the miserable prostitutes that tiredly flaunted their bodies for scraps of food to get them through the day. This smokey, gray, famished, violated town was where I lived for almost my entire life, it was all I knew, the cage that kept this fluttering bird inside just waiting to fly away. But...

...did I want to fly away alone?...

After the devastating incident I had with my psychiatrist Dr. Angus Bumby, and defeating the Dollmaker that was destroying my Wonderland with his Infernal Train, I managed to find my way back to the real world after being stuck in Wonderland for more than two weeks. This incident was to be known by not a single soul, my crime would be punishable by execution. Though as much as I've yearned for death, I felt like somehow there was more to life than what I've lived through. Like, as unlikely as it seemed all these years, hope rang through my heart, faintly, but surely.

My family lived a luxurious but homey life, we had a beautiful house, owned many treasures both material and familial, and because of that, my father became the target of many undergraduate suitors for my older sister Lizzy, to which they sought to marry into the rich and luxurious life with a beautiful lady on their arm to control. Our wealth was pursued constantly, even at my young age, I knew we weren't safe from the greed of men. With my family dead, and Radcliffe, our lawyer, pursuing my inheritance, I was soon outcast for my traumatic fate. After I returned to London however, the seemingly disappeared Radcliffe was found, and tried for illegal possession of my rights to my inheritance money (and my rabbit). This was probably no short of a miracle, I regained at least something in my life that I thought perished in ashes. As much as I could disregard the value of money in my life, it was a rather large step in my journey to become independent. Now that Bumby was dead, I needed a fresh start. A chance to start anew, and become... normal...

I still remember the last moments I had in Wonderland before finally finding my way back to the real world...

_"Oh give it up Alice you'll never find the way out. And besides, why would you even want to return to that awful place, you have a whole world here that you can use to your whim. You can become our new queen, you're our savior. Or did you forget the past 2 weeks in which you saved our fannies once again?" _

_Cheshire was being abnormally whinny today. We were roaming through the woods of the Veil of Tears after searching far and wide for a way back. _

_"Enough cat! For God's sake's your constant meowing is giving me a headache.." I said as I wearily dragged my feet through the grass. _

_"Alice... I'm serious, think about it." He pounces in front of me to stop me. I stopped. "What are you saying Cat?" "I'm saying, you should prepare yourself for the possibility of never finding the exit. Once you complete your life's purpose, you are where you are meant to be. And... maybe Wonderland is where you truly belong." His eyes grew more sincere, his posh and sinister gaze and grin melted off now to reveal a concerned Cheshire Cat, his smile stolen from him by worry for his friend. "Cat... no... don't snatch my hope away. We talked about this many times." I tried to keep walking but he stopped me again putting a large clawed paw gently on my foot. "I'm only offering my daily dose of Cheshire advice... but I worry for you girl. Where would you be without me?" "I'd be between a rock and a hard place Cat. I appreciate your help... I always have... but I'm a 20 year old woman now, I need to go back and fix my life... get back on my feet... become a normal person." "You humans and your need to pursue something else... sometimes Alice, the answer lies in your heart rather than what society tells you to do." he said as he let go of my foot and pranced off._

_"Hey wait!" I called out to him as he pounced into a shrub. I found it odd that he didn't use his powers to disappear... I shrugged it off and kept pacing down the trail until I found a Radula Room far off. I was surprised, I haven't seen one of those since I killed Bumby. Almost all of the magic items in Wonderland ceased to exist after the destruction of the darkness upon Wonderland. As I entered the giant shell I was shrouded in blackness, with only the faint sound of ticking. I heard faint voices of people, similar to how London sounded before I left the last time. I felt like I was floating in water, kicking my legs slowly, being slowed down by something viscous holding me back. I then saw something I didn't expect to see again... _

_That key... _

_I hated the sight of it, it brought me back to my sister's terrible fate, but somehow, I felt a sensation that I should follow it. I did so as best as I could, slowly making progress towards it. By the time I was inches away from it, the faint voices of people became more clear, they became louder, and the blackness around the key and I began to lighten into reality. _

_..._I slowly fluttered my eyes open to see a crowd of people in a circle around me trying to wake me up. I was lying motionless in the middle of the street, wearing my black and white dress.

"Is that the same girl from the orphan home?" "Call a doctor she's badly hurt!" "Someone get help she wont wake up!" I groaned awake trying to move, but I felt as if I was nailed to the ground.

As I stared at the strangely sunny sky I found myself in deep unshakable awe... this... this wasn't the sky I've been staring up at for the last two weeks... this sky... though strangely sunny... was the sky of the place I used to know... London... I was back in London...

I never knew I would ever feel so happy and so relieved to be back in this shanty town, but I was back where I was meant to be... at least... I hope I was. Cheshire's words still rung through my head...

_"Sometimes Alice, the answer lies in your heart rather than what society tells you to do." _

No... I'm going to give this a chance... I'm going to give myself a chance to mature and make it in the real world. It's about time I stopped running away. It's time I began to take action... and face the real monsters, the nightmare of responsibility.

But one can only hope...

**I'm sorry this was so long but I hope you guys liked it. I made this fanfic a while back and I've been meaning to finally post it. **

**All rights to American McGee and his videogames Alice and Alice Madness Returns belong to him and Spicy Horse, this fanfic is for entertainment purposes only. Thanks for reading everybody :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Assistance Necessary

**Hello everybody, sorry I took forever to write the next chapter, but I had a few loose ends to tie up. Thank you all for your patience and loyalty to the story, I'll try to be more consistent with the chapters as to not make you guys wait so much. Thank you once again, and I hope you enjoy this next entry. Enjoy. **

"Rise and shine Ms. Liddel." The sun shone intrusively from the window as he opened the curtains. The shining harsh rays of tomorrow beamed into my closed eyes making me wake up. I heard Cheshire make a sneering meow as he too was disturbed from his peaceful slumber. He stretched his spine as he cracked a yawn bearing his fangs.

"Come along Ms. Liddel, it is time for breakfast, you wouldn't want to miss the most important meal of the day." he said as stood beside my bed waiting patiently for me to sit up for me morning cup of tea.

"Jenkins, you say that every day. I am not a morning person as you may recall."

"Don't I know it? I am here to make sure you make the best of your day and assist you with anything you need. You can't possibly stay in bed all morning. With the exception of illness befalling you, you must rise and run your errands for today whether you like it or not."

Jenkins was my butler. After claiming my inheritance money, I paid to rebuild my old house. Practically a mansion, I needed help maintaining it. I had more than enough pounds to cover the expenses, so the caretaker of the area, Mr. Anderson, proposed I hire a butler to look after me since I was still in no condition to run such a large house on my own without some help. I gladly accepted, despite my discontent with people I was sure I wouldn't have the mental strength to organize and perform all my tasks on my own. Jenkins arrived at the house the day after. Holding only two suitcases in both his hands, his tall polite appearance won my comfort, and I managed to speak to him without making a fool out of myself. He doesn't speak of his personal matters, but he gladly listens to all my complaints and requests. He is a tall and sophisticated man, by the sound of his vocabulary and his attitude towards others, I'd say he is an older gentleman. However I can never really tell, his secretive demeanor keeps me from truly telling his actual age.

Either way, over the past six months staying with me I have surprisingly become comfortable enough to be speak familiarly to him like I would with my Aunty or as comfortably aggressive I could be with my dastardly lawyer Radcliffe. However, Jenkins was there for the mere purpose to serve me. And as much as I wished to offer more to him, he was content with just that.

"Very well..." I sighed as I lazily sat up.

"Now now, don't stand up too suddenly, drink your tea first Ms. Liddel." he said as he gently poured some herbal tea in a porcelain cup sitting upon a small plate.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked as he handed me my tea. I took it carefully so as to not spill.

"As well as I ever could sleep Jenkins." I sipped my tea rather loudly trying not to burn my tongue.

"Aww, did you have a bad dream again Mistress?" he teased.

"No, I didn't dream at all actually, it was just pure darkness throughout my eight hours of sleep I was allowed to have." I replied.

"Hmm. Very well, hopefully you will turn in for the night earlier tonight, maybe then you will have more time to sleep." he replied, not acknowledging my fresh remark. "I'll be back in twenty minutes to take your empty dishes, by then I should see to it that you are dressed and ready to start your day." He said as he walked out of the room quietly and politely. Cheshire stared at me as I sipped my tea with his big green eyes.

"What are you looking at puss?" I asked, not waiting for a response. He replied with another yawn and a scamper from my bed to the door. I was left alone to drink my herbal tea, and by then I started my day just as Jenkins predicted I would. Like I had any other choice...

"What are my errands for today Jenkins?" I asked him as I sat on the elegant table eating my breakfast of eggs and pancakes with an English muffin sliced in half, coated in butter.

"You are to purchase another year's supply of medication for your migraines, talk to Mr. Anderson about your plans of getting a job since your inheritance money can only get you so far into your years. Go grocery shopping, begin your studies, file out your taxes and finally turn in for another night's rest." he replied without skipping a beat while he brewed more tea and coffee.

"Ugh... what a drag. So much to do in so little time. I rather go back to bed." I scoffed.

"Too bad Ms. Liddel, I'm afraid these errands are too important to ignore. However, you do not have to deal with all these chores on your own, I will help you as you see fit. I can accompany you to your first stop to the high street chemist." he said gently as he refilled my cup.

"Very well.. I suppose the sooner I start the sooner I can finish and the sooner I can return to bed." I sighed as I finished the last of my breakfast. I looked down at my feet to see Cheshire finishing his breakfast as well. As he licked up the last bit of his mashed chicken, he scurried off between Jenkins's feet.

"Agh! Come alone now puss, you'll make me trip!" he exclaimed as he almost dropped his cup of coffee. Cheshire replied with a sneeze and continued to rub his body against his legs. Jenkins's growing annoyance made me chuckle slightly.

"This is not funny Ms. Liddel.." he said not in the mood to be laughed at.

"Sorry.." I replied still covering my faint smile.

Cheshire purred with an unemotional expression on his face as he returned to my feet loyally.

"I must say, that new dress I purchased for you has been hanging in your wardrobe for the past week. Aren't you ever going to wear it?" He asked incredulously.

"I might. Jenkins you took the liberty to buy me a dress. That does not mean I'll accept your gracious act of kindness straight away. I never did like new dresses. The designs they're coming up with these days are giving prostitutes a run for their money." I replied as I sipped.

"Please don't speak like that Ms. Liddel, and besides, the dress I picked out for you isn't showy as you'd think. It's very sophisticated and in my opinion, would only be worn by women of your standing, someone with class."

"Well... thank you for your troubles Jenkins, and since you went through so much trouble to buy it for me, I'll wear it to the open house for neglected youth at the orphanage down the street." I said with a kind smile. He beamed a smile back in excitement.  
"Do you really mean it?" he asked enthusiastically.  
"Yes." I replied with a confident smile. His face turned grateful and glad.

On the streets of London, Jenkins and I passed through the bumpy grounds of stone, passing all sorts of folk along the way to the chemist's office. We passed through four or five beggars and many high class people with refined clothing. Surely the corruption of this town began to lower the longer I lived here. It was almost a miracle. While we made our way to the nearest horse carriage post, I spotted Cheshire out of the house chasing a mouse just across the street.

"Ah! Cheshire! What are you doing out of the house?" I exclaimed as I made my way towards him, but Jenkins's hand rested on my shoulder to stop me.

"No, there are too many carriages driving here, wait until it's safe to cross my lady."

I reluctantly held my ground, but the longer I waited, the further away he got chasing that dumb mouse around the markets. If I stayed much longer on this end I would loose sight of him! I have to get over there now even if it risks getting hit by a horse. I shook away from Jenkins's grasp and sprinted towards the other side after my dumb cat.

"Ah! Mistress wait!" Jenkins called out as he chased after his dumb master. I rapidly headed towards him trying to keep my eye on his location. He quickly disappeared into a dark alleyway, suddenly giving me flashbacks to my previous mistakes of chasing after a cat into dark corners... but... bloody hell I wasn't going to let him get away!

"Come back here cat!" I called after him.

"Come back here Mistress!" Jenkins called out to me.

Finally, thinking I had trapped him at a dead end, while turning the corner expecting to see a dumbfounded cat looking for another rodent to torment, I saw nothing but a blank brick wall staring back at my incompetence.

"There you are!" Jenkins exclaimed as he found me staring at a wall.

"Ms. Liddel, you had me worried sick, you could've gotten hurt! Come, forget about the cat, he'll be back at the home just in time for his dinner, for now let's resume our errands." he said as he gently took my arm to take me away. I waited just a few more seconds in the hopes of hearing my cat's disgruntled meows... but nothing came but the sounds of the busy streets not too far behind us...

"...very well... let's go." I said, feeling worried and hopeless, I slowly turned to follow him, but suddenly...

...I felt a shaking under my feet.

"Ms. Liddel? Are you ready to g-" The rumbling continued. I was hoping it wasn't all in my head, and to my relief, Jenkins felt it too.

"...did you hear that?.." he asked feeling confused.

The rumbling soon became continuous and wouldn't just keep going, but kept getting increasingly stronger the more we stood on that spot.

"Ms. Liddel I believe we should go now. I think we may be in the middle of an earthquake. Hurry!" He pulled my arm to get us both away from the mysterious rumbling when suddenly, just before making a break for it, the ground broke apart just under our feet...

...and we fell all seventy feet down the rabbit hole towards the place I wouldn't think I'd ever see again...

**I hope you guys enjoyed this one. I'll be writing more as promised. Alice Madness Returns belongs to American Mcgee and Spicy Horse and this fanfic is in no way intended to infringe copyright. This fanfic is for entertainment purposes only, and I hope you will keep waiting for more chapters. Thankyou! **

**And remember to leave some reviews for future improvements :)**


	3. Chapter 3: What's This!

**Agh, sorry once again for taking so long, unfortunately some personal matters have come up. I haven't been feeling well for the past week, but I'm alright now, and sorry for putting that out there as well :) I hope you guys have started getting hooked on this story and I hope you will continue to enjoy it. Once again, thank you very much for your patience.**

** Thud!** Jenkins fell flat on his back with a painful thud. Miraculously, the long and confusing fall didn't kill him, but it did however send him to a parallel universe. Or so he thought.

"Ooohhh..." he moaned. He shakily sat up slowly holding his head in his hand. He fluttered his eyes open as the bright rays of the sun dawned upon him, something that an Englishman like himself wouldn't be very used to.

"Ohh... h-huh...?" he looked around to see where he was, and what he found was baffling to no end. There was an array of flora and fauna surrounding him as if he was on holiday to the tropics. But the virgin islands he had heard about had in no way flying dominoes zooming around in the air. He found the strangest of things, such as pig snouts with wings peacefully fluttering around, toys trapped in glass bubbles adorning the atmosphere, giant snails protecting the trees with their gooey sap, more toys such as jacks and dice drifting around in the sky, and much much more.

"I must have hit my head pretty hard..." he thought. However, as fascinatingly strange as this place was, he was more concerned about where that scatterbrain girl ran off to. He darted his head around to look for her, hoping she was beside him when they both fell.

"Where is she?! Mistress?" he tried to stand up but the dizziness engulfed his skull, blurring his vision.

"Ahghh.." he firmly held his head and shut his eyes tightly trying to hold his ground. As soon as the dizziness disappeared, he instantly looked around for Alice. As he frantically darted around searching for her, a slight but certain breeze caught him off guard.

"Huh?..." the soft breeze caressed his dirty blonde hair lovingly as if it welcomed his presence, but it was odd, and he knew that he had to follow whatever caused it...

...that's when a strange figure descending just above him began to appear, closer and closer it fell like the first leaf in autumn. He squinted his eyes to see what it was, until the realization of what he peered at made his face turn completely beet red. His hands automatically lifted to cover his eyes as he let out a soft almost inaudible gasp, and his brow released a droplet of sweat in utter embarrassment.

I descended slowly down to Wonderland. I sighed exasperated, hoping I didn't have to return. I had hoped this time I would stay in London to get my life back together, but looks like fate has other plans for me. However, this time I felt my next visit to Wonderland would be different, this time, it might possibly be my official last time. I can only hope. As I made my way down I began to recognize the familiar grove that I always welcomed, and that it always welcomed me. The Veil of Tears was in full view, and just the sight of it made the corners of my mouth curl up slightly with nostalgia. Even if it was merely a year since my last visit, it sure felt like forever since I was last in peace with this place and not fighting for my life (and my sanity).

As my feet first made contact with the ground, I immediately felt the gentle grasp of the wind slowly letting go of me. With my feet on the ground and my head in the clouds I finally came to, and ready for any surprise that Wonderland would throw at m...

...what the devil was Jenkins doing here?!

He stared at me dead in the face, his cheeks were rosy and he had a flustered sweat running down his forehead. His eyes were taken aback like he had just received the greatest most terrible surprise of his life... and... something about him... was off...

"A-Alice?..." he stammered quietly. He wouldn't take his eyes off me. I completely understood, I had just floated down from a seventy-foot drop from the sky, of course I became the elephant in the room... to put it into words..

"Yes?.." I asked awkwardly. I didn't appreciate the feeling of eyes being glued to me. Even from childhood, that was always the reminder that I was never ordinary, and I was always the alien in town that didn't belong. Only worsening after my tragic loss. I blinked a few times, still I couldn't make out what was different about him! What was it?... his clothes?.. no... his clothes looked exactly the same...

"You... you look different.." he stammered again, eyeing me head to toe. Now I was feeling nervous. What was he staring at that made him gawk at me so much? Did I put on that dress he bought for me and forgot about it? I looked down at myself and saw that I was wearing my familiar blue dress with the white blood stained apron proudly displaying the symbols on its pockets. I raised my arms slightly to gesture myself. "What about me? In what way?"

"W-Well... you... you just..." he stammered again. Jeez, why can't he be clear about what he says sometimes? He always speaks in cryptic language when he wants me to figure something out.

"What? Spit it out already!" I said flustered. He darted his eyes around nervously, probably trying to think of something to say without insulting me.

"You just... look.. different... your face.. your hair... your clothes... everything... i-it all looks... different.." He stammered.

"Different how?" I demanded. It's fun to mess with him sometimes, on the inside I was amused, but I also wanted to know what was so different about me that made him all nervous like this. Normally he looks at me with indifference since I'm so plain, but this time, he almost looks like... he just saw a beautiful woman and can't speak to her out of nerves... but maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part.

"Different... l-like... you look like an actual lady.." He said... immediately regretting it seconds later. I could tell he did by the look of my face, I was not very amused to hear that.

"Jee thanks.." I said in a low stern voice. I know I'm not much to look at but to go ahead and say that is just mean! If you don't think I normally look presentable you could just say so in a kinder more polite way!

Men...

"No no! I-I meant that in a good way like... y-you look... really pretty!.." he stammered. That's the first time I've seen Jenkins act this way, it's like he was trying to strike up a conversation with a stunningly beautiful lady across the pub. I didn't want to think that about myself though, there was no way...

"I... uh.. thanks.." I stammered...

"Well, anyways, where the bloody hell are we?!" He asked. I wasn't surprised he'd go hysterical in here, however I'm still baffled as to why he fell in with me. I thought this was MY Wonderland, MY subconscious... was... Wonderland truly a real place?...

"We're in my subconscious." I replied. "We must've passed out together in the middle of that earthquake. We must be dreaming at the same time as we speak." I tried to make things make sense, at least to calm him down some.

"Well... in that case this is a pretty rare occurrence. For two people to be in the same dream at the same time is... almost impossible... This must be a new scientific discovery! Fascinating!" He exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. I smiled a little, he's always had a strong fascination with science. I'm sure he would've wanted to become one instead of being a butler taking care of a crummy mistress like me...

"What's fascinating is your ability to be so thickheaded you don't even remember where neither of you are." That familiar, nagging deep purring voice... Oh dear...

"It's about time Cheshire!" I called out to him. He sat on the ground looking up at us not far off. His wide toothy grin never ceased to flash me a smile every time I saw him. I groaned at the sound of his apprehensions, but at the same time they calmed me down.

"Honestly, you couldn't stay away for more than a year." He chuckled. I knew he was glad to see me again. However, Jenkins was on the verge of fainting from all the insanity that surrounded him. Now the annoying little vermin that he fed every night and day was talking, I don't think the poor guy can handle much more craziness.

"You... y-y-y-y-you!... y-y-you can talk?!" he exclaimed. Cheshire simply smiled and rolled his eyes.

"I'm surrounded by idiots."

"Come along now cat be nice, the poor fool's never been here before. Now explain what we're doing back in Wonderland."

"W-Wonderland?!" he asked in disbelief.

"You're probably thinking you're here for another evil force targeting you Alice but I assure you, this time it isn't about you." he purred. His grin remained on his face but his tone was completely serious. I furrowed my brow in confusion. If we're not here for me, then why are we in my realm?!

"Then why are we..." I paused... I slowly turned to look at Jenkins. The trembling and terrified butler that stood before me...

"That's right." Cheshire said. "Jenkins, we are here because of you."

He fell to his knees holding his head in his hands, his eyes were shut tight, and his jaw was clenched.

"What are you saying?! What... What is this?!... What is this?..." he sounded exasperated. I looked at him empathetically. I knew what he was going through, feeling like you've gone completely insane, and the end of the world is nigh... I knew...

I walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me with eyes full of worry. I looked at him with the softest gaze I could muster and I kneeled beside him.

"Don't be scared. I know this place is a lot to handle, but from here on out, I'm going to need you to trust me and follow my lead in anything either I or Cheshire says. I know you have a lot of questions on your mind but we don't have time to answer them all." I said with a kind and gentle voice. His expression softened as he listened. He reluctantly nodded in agreement. I helped him up and he turned to me.

"Alice... can either of you at least answer me a couple of questions?" he asked in a timid voice.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Where are we?... and what did I do to send us to this dimension?" he asked. I had a feeling he'd use scientific terms to explain some of the insanity that was happening right now. Who could blame him.

"This is Wonderland. The subconscious of one and the subconscious of all. The world this little mouse created all on her own to escape her pain and suffering in the real world." Cheshire said gesturing towards me.

"But why am I here? If this is Alice's fabrication then why am I even involved?" he asked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out. However, it doesn't excuse the fact that Wonderland is once again in danger because of you Jeeves." Cheshire replied.

"What did I do?..." he asked innocently.

"Nothing Jenkins, don't let Cheshire's taunts get to you, for now let's just focus on pinpointing the culprit then find a way out and investigate further in the real world. After we gain enough information, we come back to finish the job. Deal?"

"...D...Deal.." he stammered. He didn't have any other choice. Cheshire and I were his only way out of this mess, and if his actions somehow involved me, then this was my fight as well. For now however, all I could really do is teach him the ways of madness.

And maybe, just maybe, he'll learn a thing or two.

**I sure hope you guys liked it. Once again, I don't own Alice: Madness Returns in any way, it belongs to American McGee and Spicy Horse. This is for entertainment purposes only. **

**I'll try my best to stay consistent to the chapters and I hope to receive further reviews for further improvement.**

**Thank you! **


	4. Chapter 4: Do You Trust Me?

**Wow I'm terrible :/ Sorry everyone, once again I took too long to provide you all with your weekly chapter. But I'm back now so that's all taken care of. I'm happy to know I have at least a few followers, I hope to gain more soon but to all of you staying loyal to this story so far, I'm humbled and I thank you all. Here's chapter four, enjoy :) **

"Ow!" Jenkins wouldn't stop bumping into every little bit of wilderness he came in contact with. He was so used to the civil life he never took a trip to the woods in his life I presume. At this rate I had my doubts that he would be able to make it out of the Veil of Tears at least.

We crossed giggling streams and marched through the endless grove of aged trees that were shrouding our every step. My footsteps were suddenly growing louder the quieter it became from behind me. I realized Jenkins's constant groans and complaints at the filth around him hushed. I turned to face him and he stopped to look at me.

"Why did we stop?"

"You've grown quiet, is anything wrong?"

He blinked a few times. "No... I'm just trapped in my own psyche with my scatterbrain mistress with no way out in the middle of a mystical forest that's ruining my shoes. You're raggedy cat can talk, and tea time was an hour ago so now I'm behind schedule... I'm peachy-keen." He replied matter-of-factly. That hurt, but I decided to ignore it. I could only feel pity for the poor fool. Wonderland is never merciful with newcomers anyway.

"Hmmp. Well you better get used to it." I replied unfeeling and resumed walking. Upon arrival to the edge of a cliff we saw the other side of the grove distinctly separated from us by ten yards of empty space and an infinite drop down to nowhere.

"Alice how are we going to get across? I don't see a bridge or a rope anywhere!" I smirked. Upon closer inspection I felt a couple gusts of wind softly billowing from the bottom of the chasm.

"Jenkins how far can you jump?"

"What?! Have you gone mad? Do you seriously think we can just jump to the other side?! It's much too far!" He exclaimed.

"No listen, you feel that wind coming from the drop off?" I asked pulling his hand outwards.

"...Y-Yes but.."

"That wind is strong enough to keep us afloat while we jump to the other side. Trust me, this is one of those survival tactics I was talking about. Now how high and far do you think you can jump?" I asked. Jenkins paused for a second and looked at me like I was senile. He then proceeded to hop in place, each time going higher then lower.

"I can jump the equivalent distance of what a normal human being has the capacity to do." He replied coldly.

"Very well, watch me then. Try to follow what I do." I said as I took a step back and ran to the edge.

"Alice no!" he yelled. Just then, my instincts once again won my trust as the gust of wind gently held me up in the air.

"Try it Jenkins! The wind feels great!" I turned to face him as I held my balance with my arms outstretched side to side. His expression was priceless. He looked like he was staring at an animal who's skin turned inside out... he was also blushing incredibly red, like a lady wearing tons of Rogue. I looked down to see my dress was all puffed up like French balloon, but I payed no mind to it.

"I...I-I...I..." he stammered.

"Jump Jenkins!"

"I can't!"

"Do it!"

"NO!"

The screams thrown back and forth threw me off balance and I stumbled out of the range of the wind. I began to feel gravity pull me back down to the endless chasm.

"OH! wah! waaaaaahh!" I screamed. I knew I was going to perish soon...

"ALICE!" Jenkins called out. Just as I was about to drop to the endless drop, I felt a hand grab a hold of mine.

"AH!... huh?.." I looked up to see Jenkins hold onto me as he too was merely floating in the air with the wind barely holding us up.

"This isn't real..." he said as he pulled me up. I jumped and twirled to the next gust just in time to give him his space. He floated awkwardly on his own but he kept his balance well.

"Whoahh whoaa..."

"I told you this would work."

"Oh be quiet..." I rolled my eyes and kept jumping from gust to gust until I finally made it to solid ground. However, when I turned around, I noticed Jenkins was one gust away from landing.

"One more Jenkins! You can do it!" I called out.

"I know that, just hold on!" he called back, and what he did next surprised me greatly... He grunted, twisting his face in force as a red light began to glow all around him, and with one final push, he disappeared in a burst of red energy and reappeared beside me the same way. I stared at him completely dumbfounded.

"...wh...what was that?!"

"I don't know... but it sure beats the physical strain of jumping over and over." He said with a big bright grin.

"Jenkins, I don't mean to out-science you but didn't you just... ugh what was that called?..."

"Teleportation?" he asked. His eyes grew wide and sparkled in the light. I heard all these wise-crack scientists back in London talk about teleportation, including Jenkins which was always fascinated with all these new inventions they were coming up with these days.

"This is Wonderland after all, I suppose it's a possible thing here." I replied. "Come along now, we have to keep going, if we encounter any enemies along the way there would be no way to defend ourselves."

"...e-enemies?..." he said as we came to the entrance to a hidden grove. As we entered, I heard Jenkins gasp, and my eyes lit up at the sight of the giant bottle spewing the endless violet waterfall.

"What is this?" Jenkins stared in awe at the giant glass liquor bottle.

"It's Shrink Sense." Cheshire replied from behind him.

"What are you blabbering about now cat?" he asked him.

"Observe." he purred with his mischievous grin. Jenkins turned around to see me step into the pool as I held up my dress by my fingertips.

"Wh-What in God's name are you doing Alice?! You'll ruin your pretty dress..." he exclaimed as I began to shrink slowly. I turned to face him, and my voice must have sounded small and squeaky to him.

"Hop in Jenkins! The water's fine!" I flailed my arms in the air hoping he could still see me.

"OH FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE ALICE GET THE BLOODY HELL OUT OF THERE THIS INSTANT! YOU'LL DISAPPEAR!" He reached out to grab me, but his foot slipped on some wet moss nearby and he stumbled in. I nonchalantly stepped out of the falls and grew back to my normal size. I turned back to see Jenkins as small as a nut.

"What in the world happened to me?!" he screamed from his small stature, his voice like a squeaking mouse. I smiled and leaned down to pick him up gently.

"You shrunk silly."

"Put me back to normal at once!" he screamed.

"Forest for the trees, just the other way around, shortsighted it's merely a matter of perspective Jenkins." I replied with a sincere smile. I set him back down to the ground.

"Just imagine yourself returning to normal size. Concentrate, and you'll be able to pull it off." I said. He balled his fists and shut his eyes tightly trying to concentrate. Soon after a couple of seconds he began to grow back slowly. Once he grew to his tall stature again, he opened his eyes, his cheeks were flushed red from his high blood pressure. At least I think it was, maybe he was concentrating too hard.

"Phew... don't make me go back in there, I thought I would soon make contact with microscopic organisms and be crowned king." he replied with a big sigh of relief.

"You won't have to Jenkins, but now that we've acquired Shrink Sense, we can shrink down to size to fit in small spaces and reach checkpoints we wouldn't be able to reach in normal size. There are many items in Wonderland we need to find if we want to find the cause of all this calamity."

"All of this is really difficult to control Alice, I could barely grow to normal size, how do you expect me to just Shrink again?" he asked. I smiled and pointed to my temple.

"It's all in here. It's simple and concise, you just have to imagine and make it happen." I replied as I headed for a keyhole shaped opening on the wall of the grove. I shrunk and headed inside like a mouse.

As Alice headed inside the tiny hole, Jenkins stood outside watching.

"Aren't you going to give it a try?" Cheshire asked far off.

"This is very difficult... I don't know if I can find it in me to just... imagine things. As if anything like that was possible in this world." he sighed.

"You're over thinking it Jenkins." he hopped down to from stone pedestal and walked towards him to face him.

"Remember, you're the reason why we're all here, and whatever is causing all this commotion is a fabrication of your own fears and doubts. If you let those things take control, all Wonderland will be lost, and the three of us will never find the way out again. Alice has been mourning reality for longer than any of us, ever since the death of her family. She was lost in her own figments of her imagination for years, and was never able to live life like a normal girl. Wonderland is our last hope for survival. In here, anything is possible, and you can do anything your mind sets out to accomplish. If at some point in time you felt like you couldn't, well now is the time to prove it wrong. Now shrink damn you, we have a Wonderland to save!"

"..." he was left speechless. He stared at the now serious talking cat who's been nagging him this entire trip, and just now he's receiving a good slap of inspirational words.

"You're... You're right..." he stammered. "I'll do my best..." he said as he closed his eyes and began to do what Alice and Cheshire instructed, and when he opened them he was barely five inches tall once again.

"I did it!" he exclaimed with a bright smile. "Cheshire I did... it?.." he turned to see Cheshire gone.

"...well... I sure hope he saw that. Now onward!" he ran into the keyhole that Alice went into and came out the other side to see another part of the Veil.

"Ah, Jenkins! You finally made it!" Alice called out from a hovering platform going up and down. Jenkins grew back to normal size heading towards her.

"It seems you finally got the hang of it." she said.

"Yes... it seems so." he replied with a small smile.

"Now where are we going now?" he asked.

"Up there." she said pointing to up to a large opening in the grove that led to a giant statue of Alice with her hands out in front of her.

"The violet markings indicate to head up there, maybe that's where a lost item is. We can use these moving platforms to get us up there." she said.

"Very well, I'll be following your lead mistress." Jenkins replied with determination. She smiled at him feeling reassured, and they began hopping from one platform to the other, Jenkins teleporting from a low platform to a higher one as Alice quickly caught up.

As they came close to the top, they felt the rays of the sun hitting strongly at this high point of the canopy of the grove. Cheshire reappeared from the stone hands of the statue looking down at them. Alice grabbed a hold of Jenkins's hand.

"Come on. Hyahh!" they both jumped and landed on the stone hands of the giant Alice statue staring ahead with an unfeeling expression.

"Looks like you found your precious companion." Cheshire replied.

"Wh-wh-what are you saying cat?!" Jenkins replied hysterically. Cheshire rolled his eyes and pointed to the pedestal of vines holding up a large shimmering blade.

"I was talking about that..." he replied annoyed. Alice let go of his hand and walked slowly towards it. As she came close to it, she reached down and carefully took it from its resting place. She admired its gleaming glory as the light reflected from it's beautiful shimmering surface, its intricate design displaying marvelously with pride. She slowly waved it around like a sword, the sharp metal humming in tune like an instrument. Jenkins stared in awe at the majestic weapon.

"I never knew a kitchen knife could look so beautiful..." he said quietly to himself. Cheshire watched beside him with a grin.

"The Vorpal Blade is swift and keen and always ready for service." he purred with delight.

"Vorpal Blade?..." he asked looking back at him. Alice walked towards Jenkins holding the Vorpal Blade upwards and sideways defensively, as if about to attack, his eyes widened in fear.

"Wh...what are you doing?... Alice?..." he stammered. She encircled him still holding up the knife, a killer look in her big green fierce eyes. The sight frightened him yet hypnotized him. Just then, she swung the blade in a rapid motion into the air away from Jenkins, her movements flawless and keen.

"It goes Snicker-Snack, leaves them dead." Cheshire purred again grinning bigger. They both observed how beautifully she wielded the weapon. She then finished with one swift stab in the air, making the silver metal shine like a diamond.

"My blade, once again I can feel its magic within my grasp. How I missed this beauty." she said in a lustful tone, making Jenkins hypnotized seeing this unknown side of her.

"It looks wiped clean... no speck of rubies on it whatsoever..." she and Cheshire face each other, smiling mischievously they said in unison, "But not for long."

Jenkins stared at them both feeling mesmerized but terrified.

"M-M-Miss Liddel I don't recall ever seeing you utilize a kitchen knife... d-don't you think it would be better if I held it for you? Why you never cooked a meal for yourself in your life." he said. Her expression turned serious again.

"Don't worry about me Jenkins, I know what I'm doing. This blade has been there for me all my time in Wonderland, it's never failed me, and never will." she smiled gently and placed a hand on Jenkins's shoulder.

"Just trust me. Maybe we can find a weapon for you too."

"..." he stared at her contemplative. Was this young lady for real? Was all this just some crazy dream? Deep down, Jenkins wished it would never end, but he didn't realize it yet. If trusting the instincts of a mad raving woman would bring them back home, then there was nothing left to lose. For the first time since he arrived in this crazy place, he felt sure and secure.

"Very well, lead the way my lady." he replied gently smiling, feeling determined. She smiled back, the red of her lips glimmering with the color that will soon stain that beautiful piece of kitchenware.

**I hope my chapters are improving, thank you all so much for reading another segment, and I will try my best to upload more sooner. Copyright to Alice: Madness Returns belongs to American McGee and Spicy Horse, this is for entertainment purposes only. Please leave behind reviews for further improvement, see you all again soon! :D **


	5. Chapter 5: Going in the White Direction

** Hello once again everyone. I have been gone for an awful long time, my wifi was down for three weeks. But no matter, sorry for keeping you all waiting so long. Here's the new chapter, enjoy! **

"Are you quite sure you should be holding that dangerous weapon? You might slice through layers of your epidermis!"

Jenkins hasn't stopped grilling me about wielding my Vorpal Blade, just being on the same side as him made him jumpy.

"Will you relax Jenkins? I've wielded this blade for a long time... Jeez as if I haven't told you this enough!" I said as I kept stomping down the trail. "I'm sorry but I can't help but worry about your safety Ms. Liddel, you've dragged us through muck and grime for the past three hours."

I was starting to become incredibly annoyed by this time, your safety this your safety that... I sighed for the millionth time before we reached a checkpoint.

"Hmm.. don't you two think this is a bit fishy?..." Cheshire appeared from nowhere sitting far off.

"What are you talking about?"

"There hasn't been an enemy in a 5-mile radius. I'm starting to think that either Wonderland was never in any danger or..."

"Or?..."

"Or the situation is much more sever than we thought." he said in a grim tone.

Suddenly as if on cue, the ground began shaking like mad. Jenkins and I began stumbling out of our balance as the flora began to manifest into several hideous and terrifying monsters.

"Agh, finally some action!" I exclaimed as I aimed my blade ready for combat. All Jenkins could do was stand there speechless unable to even move.

"Well looks like I spoke too soon. They're your problem now, you know what to do." Cheshire said as he disappeared.

"Come on Jenkins, let's take care of these behemoths while we still have a chance." I said, looking back to face him, but he too disappeared.

"Huh?..." I looked around but I couldn't see him, all I could afford to focus on right now was the monsters. They were walking monstrosities of branches and thorns caked with moss. They growled and moaned like ghouls as they slowly limped towards me.

"Heh, tourists." I smirked as I charged towards them. One of them roared into the air right before swinging a hit to my face. Dodging it's attack just in time, I began calculating their every move. I stood my ground as they closed in on me. As soon as I lost sight of an escape, I began to swing for my life.

_Slash Slash Swing Stab Swing! _

One by one they all began to fall apart by my blade. Their thorns though painful to the touch, were no match for my swings. As soon as I killed the last one I began to collect the teeth and rose petals they left behind. However, I didn't notice the shadow that was casting behind me. Realizing I was not yet finished with my massacre, I soon heard a yell from above as Jenkins swooped in and stabbed the monster from the back of its head. It howled in pain before finally falling apart like a weathered stump. I stared wide-eyed at the monster now dissolved into teeth and rose petals, Jenkins was standing over it panting heavily.

"Wow... where did you come from?" I asked incredulously.

"I did you what you told me to, I observed your technique. A little too robust in my opinion but nothing a little tactic can't fix."

I raised an eyebrow at his lanky comment, but I managed to brush it off as usual.

"I was hiding up there." he said as he pointed upwards to a small rock pedestal above the battlegrounds.

"I see. Well that was very smart of you Jenkins, I feel like fighting off enemies will be a lot easier with another person around... I'm.. glad you're here with me." I said. I soon realized how quickly I misjudged him. Sure he may have been obnoxious and overprotective and too much of a clean-freak but at least he cared at all. In most of my travels in Wonderland, the creatures of this realm would either make me do all sorts of ridiculous errands or missions or send me to my death.. in any case it was the same thing every time. Cheshire was my only source of wisdom and comfort and even then he only managed to express it with sarcastic and crude comments about how empty-headed I was. In any sense, Jenkins was the only person who has been this nice to me in a long time next to Nanny. I haven't heard from her in a long time, probably too busy out hooking as usual. What with the whole Mangled Mermaid in shambles.

"Well... duh." he replied. I blinked in surprise and confusion. I was expecting a warm-hearted thank you or something of the sort.

"What?.."

"Of course you are. You should be glad," he scoffed, "without me you'd be dead in seconds. Silly girl." He said half-heartedly and walked off. I watched him walk past me with a sense of disbelief, anger, and... a sense of impression. I raised another eyebrow at his accomplishment to understand sass. As self-absorbed as he seemed at that moment I couldn't help but smile a little. I guess the people in my life are meant to treat me with tough love to make me stronger for a reason.

After finally clearing the Veil of Tears, I expected us to stumble upon the Mad Hatter's Domain... or whatever was left of it. But what we saw next was completely unexpected. After reaching the end of the woods, the ground slowly faded into white stone. All the natural soil and grasses disappeared the further we walked away, and the more white the atmosphere appeared. After further inspection I began to feel a sense of familiarity with this ambiance. There were hills of crumbled white stone that decorated the path, and large chunks of ruin from whatever realm this used to be. We both looked about trying to decipher where we were. It was as if there was no color anywhere in sight except for our own clothes. I began to have a bad feeling about this.

"Where are we now? This is quite a change from the jungle we've been trudging in." Jenkins said as he began walking with more ease upon the stone and gravel grounds.

"I'm not sure.. but it looks hauntingly familiar." After a couple seconds we found ourselves facing a humongous white castle, the clouds lightly covering the sun making the atmosphere look even more grey.

"Oh my heavens... what is this place?" he asked in astonishment. I finally realized where we were... I swallowed down my fear and stopped in my tracks to gaze at the crumbling castle.

"Jenkins... We... we're in Queensland... the remains of the White Queen's kingdom..."

**Sorry this might've seemed like a short chapter but I've been having a light case of writer's block while writing this. I still hope you guys are enjoying the plot so far. And I hope you're still sticking around. Alice: Madness Returns belongs to American McGee and Spicy Horse. This is in no way to be copyright infringement, and is to be for entertainment purposes only. I hope to gain more followers soon, and don't forget to leave a review for further improvement. **


	6. Chapter 6: Cracked Shell

**Hey you guys, long time no see! I can tell you were probably a bit confused and taken aback by the last chapter. But don't fret, it'll all be explained shortly, and maybe we can finally get some REAL progress done. I know I take forever to post new chapters, so I promise to try and post a new one every week. I'll make this chapter worthwhile though, enjoy!**

We stared wide-eyed at the magnificent ruins of the white kingdom. Entering its domain reminded me of the kingdom of hearts, however this one was coated with white foggy sheets of ashes of what once was. We made sure to watch our step, the ground was fragile, and any false move could make it collapse. Jenkins was walking in front of me, making sure I followed his footsteps. The wind was blowing ever so slightly, making the white snowy castle howl and moan like a phantom. Jenkins coughed slightly after breathing in the ashes for some time.

*cough* *cough* "Blasted dust! I almost want to grab a plume and clean up this place!"

"Lower your voice Jenkins! What if the sound of your shouting causes the ground to shake?" I snapped. He lowered his voice to a sarcastic whisper.

"Is this good enough for you?"

"I can deal without the sass Jenkins..."

He rolled his eyes and kept walking. We kept going our direction until we stumbled upon higher pedestals to jump on. We weren't sure if we could make it up there without causing some damage, but we couldn't just stand there.

"You go first." I whispered to him.

"No way! You're the hopping champion, you do it..."

I scoffed. "Fine.." I took a step back and jumped towards the ledge. I barely made it by a hair, but the ground before me had cracked and hissed. Jenkins gasped and quickly made a run for it. Using his new-found power, he teleported to my side.

"That was close... I knew jumping on these things would bring trouble." he stammered.

"There's no time to loose, we must keep going." I said coldly, and turned on my heels to keep walking. As we walked closer to the next ledge, Cheshire was waiting for us already perched at the top.

"About time you two showed up." he snorted.

"Is this where I think it is?"

"Unfortunately. For once, however, this isn't your fault. Wonderland's terrain has shifted over time apparently."

Jenkins intervened. "If you two are going to converse then at least fill me in as well. Where are we?"

"Alice?" he gestured towards me with a sly grin. I turned to face Jenkins and began to explain.

"The White Kingdom. The White King and Queen once reigned over this terrain, but after the Red Queen's invasion, it's all left in ruins." Jenkins nodded slowly in realization.

"I take it the Red Queen was the cause of most of Wonderland's misery." he replied. I looked down recalling my memories of all of Wonderlands tyrannical overlords.

"For a time yes. But now is not the time to reminisce. We must continue." I said coldly. Cheshire disappeared to let us through.

After hopping on the pedestals that led to the gates of the castle, I began to hear a familiar... snorting sound...

"Do you hear that?..."

"Sounds like a... pig snorting.." he replied. I looked around and saw a pig snout hovering in the air, a pair of white wings keeping it afloat. I smirked, and taking out my Pepper Grinder I aimed and shot the flying snout with a repetitive row of piercing peppers. It let out a loud sneezing snort and disappeared in a flash with a twinkle in the sky. With that, another small pedestal rose from the abyss to reveal a small, sparkling crystal memory sitting on it.

"Ah! another one of those!" Jenkins exclaimed. He jumped towards it and picked it up gently. The book-shaped memory shattered in his grasp like a snowflake, and his eyes began to widen. I knew he could hear whatever voice belonged to that memory in his head, I waited until it was all over and resumed to ask him what it was.

"That voice... I... remember that voice..." he murmured softly. "That sounds like... my old psychologist... what was his name again..." he whispered to himself trying to recollect his past. I didn't know what else to say, as his murmurs began to sound... droll... and never ending. I knew then that he was beginning to talk to himself like a mad-man.

"Jenkins... Jenkins?" I asked. I put a palm on his shoulder and nudged him gently, "Jenkins!"

"Huh?..." he turned to stare at me with wide eyes, which soon he blinked back to normal. "Oh... dear.. forgive me.. I seemed to have droned on without stopping.." he cleared his throat trying to compose himself. "Very well then. Off we go.." he said sternly as he turned to walk inside the gates. I followed after, not sure what would become of my dear servant.

As we approached the large marble gates of the castle, not a couple seconds later that the very doors opened by themselves at our presence. We stood still waiting for the doors to open fully. What awaited next was a large open field. Everything was still white, grey and black. Tall chess-board structures decorated the atmosphere. Pawns and Rooks stood by another set of gates. The ground which was once a clean, glossy checker-board pattern, was now a crumbled reminder of its past coated in dust. After a quick glance of Jenkins's impeccable disgusted gaze, he steps forward, but I cut him off before he could take another one.

"Wait!.."

"What is it now?" he asked, his tone sounding frustrated.

"This area is much too large... we could be confronting more enemies. What is it that you used the last time we fought off a hoard?" I asked.

"Oh! Why thank you for bringing that up, I used this!" He says delighted pulling out an zig-zag shaped arrow as big as a club. I stared at it with a furrowed brow trying to figure out what it actually was.

"What is that? Where'd you find it?"

"I found it at the grove. When you were too busy fighting off the forest behemoths I found another key-hole. I shrunk and followed the trail to a another part of the woods. A shrouded and well hidden area at that." he continued, "well, anyhow when I entered the shrouded cave I found a sort of large... mechanical rabbit. A white rabbit with a top hat, a red velvet coat and a clock-work embedded in its belly. It looked rather... odd but adorable at the same time. Well, when I approached it, the arrow on the clock was rusted to the point of breaking away. By the time I reached it, it broke off from its clock and into the ground. After further inspection I walked towards it and picked it up. The hilt was rusted but the arrow itself was glossed and sharp as if like new. I decided to rip off some cloth from my dress and wrap it around the hilt so I could have a better hold of it. Now I have a weapon of my own!" he said as he held the large sword-like arrow with both hands proudly. I looked at him with astonishment.

"Wow... Jenkins that's brilliant!" I said with honest admiration. He twirled the arrow in his fingers brashly and sheathed it into his belt. "Aren't I always?" he said with a cocky grin. I brushed off his bragging with a half smile and turned walk towards the potential battle field. Jenkins then cut in front of me pulling out his arrow like a gallant knight. "Alright, where are these so called enemies you were talking about?"

As if on cue, the ground began to quake with the rumbling of impending doom. From the dusty ground emerged four or five figures. They had the appearance of chess pieces, specifically pawns for starters. As soon as one fully emerged from the ground, a pair of white brittle sickly legs popped out from the base of it, an arm shot out from its ivory shell and used it to break off the other. Jenkins and I watched in horror as the pawn's spherical head began to twist to face us. No eyes or nose but a complete set of teeth made its entire head. A grotesque mouth that opened to release the most horrible of shrieks. There were at least five other ones just like it, white and black. The first came charging at us, moving at an inhumane manner, almost crawling like a miserable insect or spider while having its monstrous mouth bearing its awful teeth.

These monsters just became more and more terrifying the more I visited this place...

Before I could brush off my fear and retaliate with my blade, Jenkins stepped in to block its reach for me and waved his arrow sword like a master fencer.

"Hah! Hah! Stand back you nightmarish spawn of hell!" he spat as he waved his sword trying to pierce its sturdy ivory shell. More and more began to surround us from all sides, inching closer and closer bearing their teeth. Not being able to break their shells, Jenkins and I began to grow desperate. I looked around and found weak spot within the ground far off in the corner. I grabbed Jenkins's arm and pulled, "There's no defeating them, not without the proper tools! We have to escape!" I gestured towards the weak spot and he nodded in agreement. We both made a run for it as the monstrosities were just about to make us their lunch. I heard their grueling snarls as they chased after us, but as we stopped for Jenkins to break off the opening with his sword, looking back I found the black pawns bumping into the white pawns. Soon we were no longer their target, and they started to fight amongst themselves. I smirked, of course you couldn't keep two separate groups to work together for an extended amount of time, sooner or later the opposing colors would turn on each other. No wonder the white kingdom fell to ruin.

After Jenkins managed to break off the opening, he pulled on my arm and we both jumped inside.

We fell into a shadowy crevice wide enough for both of us. We followed it down to a keyhole which we entered and followed to yet another hidey-hole. After the grand commotion, we stopped to rest in a musky cave. Quiet, peaceful, but old and smelly, we decided to lay low until we could find a way to avoid the monsters, or find the right tool to eliminate them.

Jenkins was panting trying to steady his breathing, and I, already used to horrors such as this, tried to regain my composure.

"By the gods! What in the world did I imagine?..." he murmured whilst sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. He ran his fingers through his hair, as he often did when he was under pressure. I watched him with curiosity.

"..." I looked closer at his face, though he looked at the ground with contemplative terror, I finally spotted what was so different about him that changed his appearance here in Wonderland.

"That's it!" I exclaimed, surprising him making him jolt a little.

"What?" he asked looking like he'd been slapped awake. I walked towards him and knelt before him to face him at eye-level.

"Your beard!" I exclaimed again, "you normally have a bushy beard but now it's gone!"

"..." he stayed quiet and feeling his chin. "Ah yes... you're right my chin is bare..."

"You... look so different..." I said squinting to look deeper into his eyes.

"Well... I am only twenty three..." he said.

...I was stunned... twenty three? ...Twenty three?!... He... He's barely two years older than me! That couldn't be! He... acts like such a frivolous old man, he's a tidy spick-and-span enthusiast! How could he possibly be twenty three?!...

"...wh...what?..." I asked, my eyes wide with shock.

"What's the big surprise? Isn't it obvious?" he asked non-chalantly. I blinked slowly trying to get a hold of the situation.

"You know something Alice? If you don't mind me saying, I... have noticed something odd about you as well..." he said, looking into my eyes. I looked back into his feeling trapped in his gaze.

"Oh?... H...How so?..." I asked uneasily.

"Well... for one your hair appears to be... longer... and healthier! Your skin is glowing and your eyes... your eyes... are gemstones..." he murmured, his voice deep with reverent astonishment.

Now... before anyone could begin to judge my character... yes his words made my heart skip a beat. Yes his gaze was warm and... though curious not invasive but... he looked into my soul... I never heard him speak in such a manner...

"...R...Really?" I stammered.

"Yes... indeed Wonderland has turned you from the sickly and fragile mistress I've been looking after the past two years into a... a rather charming lady. Even your hair, down and unattanded to as it is, still has a shimmer to it, it flows so freely in the wind... like the grasses in the plains..." I didn't know if I should've stopped his never-ending observations but... for once I enjoyed being complemented... though at the same time I felt uneasy... no one but Mama, Papa and Lizzy have spoken to me in such a sweet and admiring tone.

Maybe I was too used to the insults and snide comments of the assylum and the orphanage to really expect any kind words from anyone... let alone a gentleman like Jenkins.

"Well... th...th...thank you..." I stammered again. My cheeks discovered the warm sensation of blushing for the first time in years.

Noticing I was feeling uneasy, Jenkins snapped out of his hypnosis and back into the old butler I knew.

"Well, " he cleared his throat, "what shall we do now mistress?" he asked in a formal tone.

"Would you like to stay here and rest for a while?" I asked, feeling weary myself.

"We really should be moving forward but... I suppose a short stop wont hurt. If anything I think too much action would deprive us of our remaining energy. I'm exhausted." he said fishing out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiping his brow.

"Very well then..." I said as I allowed myself the privilege to sit down and calm my nerves.

Every so often we would gaze at each other. I would sometimes catch him staring at me from the corner of my eye, and I'm sure he did the same when I did it. It astonished me just how much a beard can change a man's appearance from a gruff older gentleman to a blossoming young man.

...there weren't many handsome men in our town... or at least none that I've ever encountered, but Jenkins...

...he was a picture of new beginnings, not only for me, but for himself... why had he concealed such a glow?...

**Phew! This chapter was exciting to write. I enjoy creating new monsters, I sure hope these are just as frightening as the ones in the games. Also, that ending was quite interesting to elaborate. I sure hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I again promise to write more frequently. Please leave a review for further improvement and I hope to gain more followers very soon. I don't own Alice: Madness Returns, it belongs to American McGee and Spicy Horse, and this fanfiction is for entertainment purposes only. See you guys again soon! **


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